You say one for the treble, two for the time
Come on, y'all, let's rock this
You say one for the treble, two for the time
Come on
Speech is my hammer,✦ bang the world into✦ shape
Now let it fall (huh)
My restlessness is my nemesis
It's hard to really✦ chill and sit still
Committed to page, I write a rhyme
Sometimes won't finish✦ for days
Scrutinize my literature,✦ from the large to the miniature✦
I mathematically administer
Subtract the wack
Selector, wheel it back, I'm feeling that
(Ha ha ha) from the core to the perimeter black
You know the motto✦
"Stay fluid even✦ in staccato"
(Mos Def) full blooded, full throttle
Breathe deep inside✦ the drum hollow✦
There's✦ the hum, young man where you from?
Brooklyn number✦ one
Native✦ son, speaking in the native✦ tongue
I got my eyes on tomorrow (there it is)
While you still tryna find where it is
I'm on the Ave where it lives✦ and dies
Violently✦ but silently✦
Shine so vibrantly that eyes squint to catch a glimpse
Embrace the bass with my dark ink fingertips
Used✦ to speak the king's English
But caught a rash on my lips
So now my chat just like dis
Long range from the base-line✦ (swish)
Move like an apparition✦
Low to the ground with ammunition✦ (chi-chi-chi-baow)
Move from the gate, voice cued on your tape
Putting food on your plate
Many✦ crews can relate✦
Who choosing your fate? Yo
We went from picking cotton✦
To chain gang line chopping✦
To B-Bopping✦
To Hip-Hopping✦
Blues people got the blue chip stock option✦
Invisible man, got the whole world watching
(Where ya at?) I'm high, low, East, West, all over✦ your map
I'm getting✦ big props, with this thing called✦ Hip Hop
Where you can either✦ get paid or get shot
When your product in stock
The fair-weather friends flock
When your chart position✦ drop
Then the phone calls
Chill for a minute✦
Let's see who else tops
Snatch your shelf spot
Don't gas yourself akh'
The industry just a better✦ built cell block
A long way from the shell tops
And the bells that L rocked✦
Rock (rock), rock (rock), rock (rock), rock (rock)
Rock, rock (ha), rock, rock
Hip Hop is prosecution✦ evidence
An out of court settlement, ad space for liquor
Sick without benefits (huh)
Luxury✦ tenements choking✦ the skyline✦
It's low life getting✦ tree-top high (top high)
It is a back water✦ remedy✦
Bitter✦ intent✦ to memory,✦ a class E felony✦
Facing✦ the death penalty (huh)
Stimulant and sedative,✦ original repetitive✦
Violently✦ competitive,✦ a school unaccredited (there it is)
The break beats you get broken✦ with
On time and inappropriate
Hip Hop went from selling crack to smoking✦ it
Medicine✦ for loneliness
Remind✦ me of Thelonius and Dizzy✦
Boppers to B-Boys getting✦ busy✦
The war-time snap shot
The working man's jack-pot
A two dollar snack box
Sold beneath the crack spot
Olympic sponsor of the black Glock
Gold medalist in the back shot
From the sovereign state of the have-nots
Where farmers have trouble with cash crops (huh)
It's all city✦ like Phase 2
Hip Hop will simply✦ amaze✦ you
Praise you, pay you
Do whatever you say do
But, black, it can't save you